In the wake of a key Senate subcommittee hearing this month, and on the heels of the collapse of the blockbuster AT&T and T-Mobile merger, four more U.S. lawmakers have joined the growing ranks of consumer groups, members of Congress and employers questioning the proposed mega-merger of pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions.

Medication adherence is as high or slightly better among patients filling 90-day prescriptions at retail versus mail order, according to a new Walgreens study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Managed Care that the chain highlighted Thursday.

According to the National Community Pharmacists Association, changes governing long-term care facilities that recently were proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services could create turmoil for independent community pharmacies providing LTC services, the association stated in a release Wednesday.

In recognition of the important role pharmacists can play in improving medication adherence, the National Consumers League last week hosted a "Script Your Future" event at a Birmingham, Ala.-area community pharmacy.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and National Community Pharmacists Association issued a statement on Thursday announcing that they commend Reps. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa; Mike Rogers, R-Mich.; and 38 of their colleagues who expressed concerns with draft Federal Upper Limits lists that recently have been published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a bill that would forbid health insurers from requiring plan members to order prescription drugs from mail-order pharmacies, according to published reports.

Preserve Community Pharmacy Access Now — a coalition of consumers, businesses and community-based pharmacists banded together for the purpose of opposing the planned merger between Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions — on Thursday responded to testimony provided by George Paz, Express Scripts CEO, before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights hearing held Tuesday.

The New Jersey Retail Merchants Association has named Ahold USA director of pharmacy professional services David Sencabaugh the New Jersey Council of Chain Drug Stores 2011 Pharmacist of the Year, Ahold USA said Monday.

George Paz, Express Scripts chairman and CEO, and David Snow, Medco Health Solutions chairman and CEO, were in a pair of hot seats Tuesday afternoon before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights.

Pharmacy technology provider PDX is partnering with Mscripts to allow existing PDX Classic and Enterprise Pharmacy System customers to add mobile to their customer-facing offerings, the companies said.

Upon entering eRxCity on the second floor of a medical building at the corner of Mott and Canal streets in Chinatown in New York City, the store’s whole concept becomes clear from a slogan printed on the wall across from a flat-screen TV showing Hong Kong soap operas: “The next generation pharmacy.”

The concept of medication therapy management has become more developed, and certain aspects of it have become established within the organizations providing and paying for it, according to a white paper published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.

When someone says “pharmacy automation and technology,” the image that most likely springs to mind is a pharmacy robot dispensing pills in a bottle or pharmacists managing operations or looking at patients’ medical records and electronic prescriptions with the latest pharmacy software.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation raised more than $1.77 million for scholarships, research and charitable activities from 114 benefactors at the 13th Annual Dinner held Tuesday night in New York City.

In an effort to help community pharmacies to effectively compete in the marketplace, the National Community Pharmacists Association has launched an initiative that is designed to help these retailers create better business opportunities for front-end merchandise.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has appointed pharmacist and trade association veteran Kathleen Jaeger to fill the newly enhanced position of SVP pharmacy care and patient advocacy. She also will serve in a separate role as president of the NACDS Foundation.

Poll

Poll

Which of the current U.S. Presidential hopefuls do you think would be best for your business?

Hillary Clinton

Jeb Bush

Donald Trump

Ted Cruz

Ben Carson

Scott Walker

Marco Rubio

Rand Paul

Chris Christie

Mike Huckabee

SPECIAL REPORTS

Pharmacy’s battle for recognition continues

Fifty years ago this summer, President Lyndon B. Johnson secured his place in history by signing into law the legislation that created Medicare and Medicaid. To commemorate the anniversary, Drug Store News has put together an exclusive report on the effect that Medicare and Medicaid have had on the retail pharmacy industry and how it has transformed the role of the pharmacist. more...

IN THIS ISSUE

In this issue, DSN profiles Rite Aid and how the company is achieving a vision to become a retail healthcare company that delivers a higher level of care to its communities; takes you on a tour of Sears; offers insight into millennial shoppers and more. Click here to view the issue.